


Imagined Wrongs

by TiffanyF



Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-03
Updated: 2013-02-02
Packaged: 2017-11-28 00:16:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/668101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiffanyF/pseuds/TiffanyF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jesse comes home from LA to find out there's trouble between Horatio and Eric and does his best to help out. Don't own. Don't claim. No money to be made here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

When he got back to Miami from LA, Jesse was half expecting Horatio to be waiting for him at the airport. But, when he didn’t see his lieutenant, he wasn’t shocked. Horatio was fond of saying that Miami never closed and, in spite of everything Horatio had done for him involving the case in LA, something else might have come up and his friend was too busy to come and check on him. Jesse knew he would see Horatio at the lab when he went to check in and let everyone know he was back.

He got a little more concerned when there was no trace of red hair anywhere to be found in the lab. Jesse supposed that Horatio could be out in the field working a crime scene of his own, but Horatio didn’t do that nearly as much as he used to, dedicating his time to the lab and victims, helping his team process the evidence to track down the suspects. It seemed like there were traces of Horatio running through the lab, into every case that came their way, and there was nothing that happened that he didn’t know about.

Jesse asked Calleigh if she knew where Horatio was and was a little surprised at the cold shoulder he received. He shook his head and went to find Walter. They’d hit it off and became quick friends, and Jesse knew that Walter would be able to help him out. But Walter was in the field with Wolfe and no one seemed to know when he would be back.

It wasn’t like Horatio to just vanish, especially when there were cases to be worked. Jesse knew where the lieutenant lived and decided to swing by and see if Horatio was okay and if he needed anything. It was a long shot, but it beat worrying until he saw Horatio at the lab the next day. Jesse had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he saw that Horatio was okay.

The hummer was in the driveway, which meant that Horatio was home, but he didn’t answer the doorbell when Jesse pushed it. Biting his lip in indecision, Jesse walked around the house towards the beach behind it. He wasn’t sure if it was a pubic beach, or private, but he didn’t think Horatio would get mad at him for trespassing. They’d been friends a long time and he had a feeling that Horatio would just shake his head and leave it alone.

Horatio was sitting on the sand, knees drawn up and chin resting on them. He had his arms wrapped around his legs and was staring out at the water. “H?”

“Welcome home, Jesse,” Horatio replied. “Were you able to wrap everything up in LA?”

“Yeah, no more problems,” Jesse grinned. He sat down next to Horatio and looked out towards the ocean. “So, what’s new out on this coast?”

“Not a lot,” Horatio said. “Did you check in at the lab?”

“Yeah. They said they didn’t need me until tomorrow. But something weird did happen, H. Do you know any reason Cal would still be mad at me?”

“Probably because of Eric,” Horatio said.

“Eric Delko?” Jesse asked, puzzled. “I haven’t seen him in weeks. What did I do?”

“It’s not what you did, or what I did, Jesse. It’s what Eric believes we did.”

Jesse glanced over at his friend. “You lost me.”

“Eric thinks we’re sleeping together,” Horatio said softly.

That was enough to almost knock Jesse back onto the sand. He hadn’t known Horatio was gay or that he was interested, or even if he was. But Jesse wouldn’t have said no if Horatio had asked him. That sort of intensity was hot and Jesse would have loved to have that focus directed at him. But he couldn’t figure out where Eric worked into the whole thing. “You sort of lost me, H.”

Horatio finally looked at him. “I didn’t even mean to tell you,” he said. “You’re just an easy man to talk to, Jesse.”

“Okay, so now that I know, fill me in?”

“Eric and I have been together since he was shot the first time,” Horatio said. “Only a few people at work know, and we’ve always agreed that keeping it quiet was for the best.”

“Let me guess, Cal knows.”

“She and Ryan both,” Horatio said. “While I was working this case, trying to find the evidence needed to prove that you are innocent, Eric accused me of sleeping with you. Based on the reaction Calleigh had to you, I would guess that he told her as well. That may be where he’s staying right now.”

“Okay, so you helping out an old friend means you’re cheating,” Jesse said. “That doesn’t make any sense, H. There’s no way you’d let anyone suffer, not if they are innocent and Eric should know that.”

Horatio sighed and looked back at the ocean. “I wondered, for a time, if it was possible that Eric was the one cheating and was just broadcasting his guilt onto me,” he said. “But I don’t think so. The only person I know he holds an attraction for is Calleigh, and I don’t believe she would date him or sleep with him when she knew about our relationship.”

“What if he lied to her about the status of your relationship?”

“Cal would have told Alexx and Alexx would have called me to scold me for daring to hurt one of her children,” Horatio said. “Those women are remarkably protective of the men who work in the lab.” He smiled. “I enjoy working with the MEs we have now, but they will never compare to Alexx Woods. She is one in a million.”

“Okay, so if that’s out, why else would Eric suddenly think you’re cheating on him? I mean, it’s totally out of your personality and character to do it,” Jesse said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Emotions, Jess, emotions don’t have to make sense,” Horatio said. “Remember how Tim was?”

Jesse laughed. “Speed was the king of hidden emotions,” he said. “And when he let them out, woe betide anyone who was in his way. I miss him.”

“I do too. Every day.”

“H, here’s a thought,” Jesse said. “What if this is a symptom from Eric’s shooting? I mean, we know that things have been a little crazy in his mind since he was shot the second time. What’s to stop him from thinking a fear that got to the wrong place is real?”

Horatio sighed. “I do know that Eric was jealous of the bond that Tim and I shared,” he said. “It was one reason I locked my heart away for so long. Losing Tim took a lot of me with him to the grave.”

“Okay, anything else you’re going to just spring on me here, H?” Jesse asked. “I mean, I can only handle so many shocks in one day.”

“Sorry. I suppose that is possible. I would have to talk to his doctors to find out though, and I don’t know if I really want to do that when I’m so upset,” Horatio said.

“H, do you even want to keep your relationship with Eric alive if he’s so willing to believe something that is totally not you?” Jesse asked. “I know how deeply you love and how much something like this will hurt you. Love can be worth it, but is it this time around?”

“I don’t know, Jess. I really don’t,” Horatio said. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his knees. “This makes me wonder if I even know Eric; if he knows me. Even if this is a result of scrambled brain chemicals, how could he just accuse and not want to talk about it? Why is he so willing to throw everything away like this?”

“Hard questions and no easy answers,” Jesse said. “It probably won’t help anything if I go and talk to him, huh? It sounds like he doesn’t really like me a whole lot right now.”

“I don’t know if any of us will be able to talk to him for a while,” Horatio said. “With him working away from the lab most of the time, it can be hard to get a hold of him. But I’ll call his doctor in the morning and see if he has any answers for me. It might be time to get Eric back in for another check-up.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” Jesse said. “It’ll look bad, but do you want to go out to dinner? My treat and no strings attached.”

Horatio looked up and smiled. “Don’t ever lose that sense of humor, Jesse. It’ll serve you well in this job.”

“Or get me killed. Is that a yes?”

“Sure. Things can only get worse from here.”  
**********

Jesse knew it was a mistake when he pulled up, but he hated to see one of his friends hurting so bad. He’d dropped Horatio back off at his house with a promise to see him at the lab the next day, and headed back towards his own place. But he kept thinking about what Horatio had said, how he had looked sitting on the beach, and found himself outside Calleigh’s place. Horatio was right, as the lieutenant so often was, and Eric’s car was in the driveway. Jesse debated with himself for a couple of minutes and then got out and walked to the door.

Eric answered the knock on the door. “Cardoza.”

“Hey, Eric,” Jesse grinned. “Got a second to talk?”

“I’m kinda busy,” Eric replied. “Make it quick.”

“Easy enough. Horatio is not sleeping with me.”

Eric blinked a couple of times. “You would say that,” he finally said.

“He doesn’t know I’m here, he’s too confused about what’s happening, but I just wanted to tell you that Horatio Caine would never cheat on anyone. Ever. And you’ve bruised his heart badly by accusing him of it.”

“I don’t think this is any of your business, Cardoza.”

“Sure it is. You’re the one who brought me into it, Eric,” Jesse said. “I don’t know where you got the idea from, but it’s stupid and it’s hurting H.”

“Oh, like it didn’t hurt me any,” Eric said. “How do you think I feel, finding out the man I’ve loved almost since the minute I saw him is cheating on me?”

Jesse tilted his head a little. “I’m curious, Delko, who told you H is cheating on you?”

“Speed and Calleigh,” Eric said.

“They did, huh?” Jesse asked. “How’d they know about it?”

“They saw the two of you at the lab,” Eric said. “Now, if that’s everything, I have to get back to work.”

“Sure, that’s all. I just think you’re making a huge mistake,” Jesse said. “Catch you later, Delko.”

Jesse waited until he was a couple blocks away before calling Horatio. “H, hey, it’s me. Don’t hate me for this, but I went to see Eric.”

“Jess.”

“Yeah, I know, hate me for it later. I asked him who told him you’re cheating on him and he told me it was Speed and Calleigh.”

There was silence from the other end. Jesse pulled over and looked at his phone. “H, are you still with me?”

“He said, he said that Tim told him?”

“Like there was nothing wrong with it at all. H, do you think he’s seeing Speed around again?”

“I wish I knew,” Horatio said. “Thank you, Jesse. I’ll be sure to mention this to the doctor when I speak with him tomorrow. You didn’t have to do this.”

“Yeah I did, H. You help me out all the time. It’s time to let me help you out a little in return,” Jesse grinned. “See you at the lab?”

“At the lab.”

Jesse put his phone down and pulled back out onto the street heading for his apartment. He didn’t know what it meant for Eric to be seeing Speed, but if he was seeing his dead best friend, was it possible that Eric had also hallucinated Calleigh talking to him? Was it all completely in his head and Calleigh had no idea what had happened? Jesse sighed. He wouldn’t be able to talk to her about it until Horatio had a conversation with her. Based on her reaction to him earlier in the day, he was seriously on her shit list.  
**********

He was working on piecing some old papers together in the trace lab when Horatio found him the next morning. “Hey H, what did the doctor have to say?” he asked, trying a new piece in the space he was working with.

“That Eric needs to come in for new tests immediately,” Horatio said. “I passed on the message and also asked the doctor to call me when Eric arrived. I just got off the phone with him the second time. Eric is there for tests.”

“Good. Maybe they’ll be able to see what’s going on in that head of his and work things out. How about you? How are you feeling?”

“Hurt,” Horatio admitted. He wouldn’t show weakness around just anyone, but he and Jesse had been friends a long time and he knew that even if he made an attempt to lie, Jesse would see through it and call him on it. “This is going to take some time for me to work through in my own mind. I don’t even know what to say to Eric now. Does he even know me?”

“I’d say everyone on your team knows you, H,” Jesse said. 

“Do they?”

“Those you’ve let close to you, yeah.”

“Then how do you explain Calleigh?” Horatio asked. “I’ve worked with her longer than anyone else in the lab. I don’t know why she would blindly believe Eric, that she would believe that I would cheat on someone I love.”

“That’s where I’m puzzled,” Jesse admitted. “I mean, I can understand that Speed being around is because of the repeated trauma to Delko’s head. But he said that Calleigh was there with Speed. Does that mean he hallucinated both of them, or one was real?”

“Why would she do something like that?”

Jesse shrugged. “Maybe she wants Delko for herself. Stranger things have happened.”

“But to break up a couple who is happy,” Horatio said. He stopped and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know why I’m protesting this. We see it happen almost every day, don’t we? I guess my next stop will be to talk with Calleigh. Any idea where she is?”

“Nope,” Jesse said. “But I’ve been pretty involved with this project for a while. The papers were found in a locked briefcase in a car in the canals.”

“Quite a nice puzzle for you,” Horatio smiled. “Don’t strain your eyes.”

“I won’t. Good luck with Calleigh.”

“Thanks,” Horatio said.  
**********

He didn’t see Horatio for the rest of the day, but when Jesse was getting ready to go home, he happened by Horatio’s office and saw his friend sitting at his desk staring out a window. “Hey, how’s it going?” Jesse asked leaning in the door.

“Calleigh wouldn’t talk to me,” Horatio replied softly. “I’m not sure if it’s from anger or guilt, but she just glared at me and walked away. And I spoke with Eric’s doctor again. A fragment of the bullet they were unable to get has shifted and is putting pressure on his brain. They think they can get it this time, but they’re worried about trying to put him through the strain of another surgery.”

“What did Eric say about it?”

“The doctor said that Eric looked at the results and said he’d do whatever the doctors wanted him to do,” Horatio sighed. “Just like that. No talking it over with anyone, not even if it means he can die. They’re going to take another look tomorrow and decide then. The doctor wanted me there, but I don’t know how Eric would take that.”

Jesse perched on the desk. “Did you tell the doctor what’s going on?”

“I did, and he said that as Eric’s medical power of attorney, I have to be there should they operate, but that I don’t have to be there for the consultations if it’ll upset Eric. I was trying to decide what to do when you got here.”

“I wish I had an answer for you, H. But I can’t just tell you to ignore everything you’ve had with Eric because of one problem. You don’t work like that, and I know you’ll be in the building somewhere while they’re working with Eric tomorrow.” Jesse sighed. “I wish I could think that Calleigh would be as easy a fix.”

“Hell hath no fury, Jesse,” Horatio pointed out. “I want Eric to do what is best for him, and I think that getting this fragment out will be a huge help. But there’s an increased risk to his health and, given his frame of mind right now, is he going to be willing to take that into account?”

“No idea,” Jesse said. He glanced at his watch. “Dinner again?”

“Sure,” Horatio agreed. “Maybe you can help me make some sense of this.”

Jesse smiled grimly. “I’m as lost as you are, H. I’m just trying to give you a way to take your mind off it for a few hours.”

“I wish I could talk to Eric, but he has Calleigh screening his calls and she hangs up when she hears my voice,” Horatio said. “I’m going to have to ask Mr. Wolfe to contact her if anything happens during the night.”

“Not a great attitude to have,” Jesse said.

“Not in the least.”

“Hey H, what about Alexx? Have you talked to her?”

Horatio nodded. “I have her a call when I was done trying to get Cal to talk to me,” he said. “Alexx knows what’s going on, but she believes me and has been trying to talk Eric and Cal out of it. From the sounds of things, Alexx was about ready to drag Eric back to the doctor. By the ear if necessary.”

“I would pay to see that,” Jesse said. “Would she be able to go with Eric tomorrow and sit with him for the appointments? It might be the next best thing to having you there.”

“I asked and she agreed. I know she’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe and sane through the appointments,” Horatio said. He rubbed his eyes. “I hate this, Jesse. I should be there with Eric and I can’t be. What if he dies because of this and I never get a chance to prove to him that I never cheated on him?”

Jesse rubbed his eyes, a gesture he’d picked up from Horatio. “I wish I had an answer to that one, H,” he said. “Eric’s strong. He’ll come through the surgery with no problems. Doctors are paid to be nervous about things like this. I know you’ll get a chance to talk to him.”

“I hope you’re right, Jesse. I hope you’re right.”


	2. Chapter 2

Horatio wasn’t surprised when Eric decided to charge ahead and go through the surgery no matter how concerned about it his doctors were. He knew that his lover, or his former lover, was stubborn and hated being seen as weak. The two shots to his head just seemed to make him believe that everyone saw him as weak rather than amazingly strong and lucky to have survived them both with so much of himself still intact. Horatio had tried to point out that Eric was not weak, no matter what had happened to him, he had always remained strong and battled his way back. He believed that Eric’s stubborn nature was the main reason that Eric had been able to bounce back so completely from everything that had happened to him. 

There just was no convincing Eric of any of it. Horatio paced the waiting room under Alexx’s watchful eye as they waited for the doctors to come in and talk to them. “Horatio, honey, wearing out the floor isn’t going to do any good,” Alexx finally said.

“I’m scared, Alexx,” Horatio admitted. “He went in there thinking, believing that I would disrespect him and cheat on him. I don’t know what I’ll do if he dies thinking that.”

“The risks are there, but they’re not as bad as the doctors originally believed,” Alexx said. “Eric will come through this just as easily as he has all his other surgeries.”

“What if he still believes that I’m cheating on him?”

“Honey, you have two choices and neither of them are easy,” Alexx said. “You can do everything in your power to prove to Eric that you’ve never even looked at another man since the two of you got together.”

“Or I can leave him,” Horatio finished.

“I told you they’re not easy,” Alexx said. “What’s your heart saying to you?”

“To fight,” Horatio sighed. “But if he still believes it, I’m going to have to let him go. He believes that Calleigh told him this along with Speed, Alexx. We can explain away Tim, but how do we prove Calleigh really didn’t tell him?”

Alexx sighed. She almost never saw the insecure man hidden within Horatio, but had learned how to deal with him when he did show up. “Because we both know Calleigh better than that,” she said. “And that includes Eric. He’ll wake up and realize how stupid all this is, Horatio. Then the two of you can get on with your lives the way you’re supposed to.”

“I appreciate that, Alexx, but I really don’t want to get my hopes up,” Horatio said. He sank into one of the chairs. It was going to be a long wait.  
***********

Horatio paused outside the door to the recovery room where Eric was resting after his latest surgery. If Horatio never saw the inside of another hospital again, he would be happy. He hated that so much had happened to his lover, that Eric was still suffering, and wished, as he always did, that Eric would never have to have another operation.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The doctors had told Horatio that he could go in and talk to Eric as long as he didn’t upset his lover. And he could only stay for a few minutes. “Hey.”

“Horatio,” Eric said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been here the whole time,” Horatio replied. “How do you feel, Eric? Are you dizzy or cold?”

“No, just sleepy,” Eric said. “I’m surprised you’re not out with Cardoza.”

“Why would I be with Jesse when you’re here?” Horatio asked.

“I’m not blind or stupid, H,” Eric said. “I know what’s been going on. You should have just told me you wanted to break up. Then you wouldn’t have had to sneak around like you were.”

Horatio blinked a couple of times. “Eric, I....I’m not sure what to say,” he said. “Other than there’s nothing between Jesse and me and there never has been. I’m not sure why you think I’m seeing him, but I swear to you that I have never and would never do something like that.”

“That’s what you would say,” Eric said. “I’m tired, Horatio.”

“Okay, Eric. I’ll let you sleep,” Horatio said. “Give me a call when you feel like talking, okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Horatio went back out into the hall and leaned against the wall. He’d been hoping for a better response than that. He knew that it was possible that therapy might help Eric realize what had happened, but Horatio wasn’t going to pin his hopes on it. He had no idea what had happened to his lover, if anyone had told him something, some lie, but Eric still believed that Horatio would cheat on him. And as long as Eric held onto that belief, there was no hope for them.  
**********

Horatio was on the beach when Jesse found him a second time. “He’s going to be fine,” Horatio said before Jesse could even ask about Eric. “But he still believes that we’re sleeping together.”

Jesse sat down next to Horatio. “There’s still a chance, H.”

“I know there is, Jess,” Horatio sighed. “But it’s such a small chance that I doubt I can pin my hopes on it. I think I’ll just have to accept this and let Eric go.”

“What can I do?”

“Will you help me pack up his things? I can take them to his mother’s place for storage until he can get them.”

“Sure, H. I can do that.” Jesse put a hand on Horatio’s shoulder. “And I’m here if you need to talk too.”

Horatio tried to smile and failed. “I know, Jesse. Thank you.”


End file.
